Home for Christmas!!

I was ecstatic about going home for Christmas. 

But not just like 'yay I get to see my family'- but like, 'ahh this is the highlight of my year!' I wasn't homesick, but there's only one place you should be come December 25th and that's at home with family. 

On account of my love of Christmas, I subconsciously have these high expectations of how it will go, and this year, my expectations were exceeded. Spending last Christmas in Greece, just Rusty and I, has given me a whole new appreciation for getting to be home for the holidays...and for the song I'll be home for Christmas (which naturally, I kept singing before coming home). Although it was a fun experience in Greece- newlyweds, spending Christmas just the two of us in a foreign country- it isn't something I would care to experience again haha. Eliminating the one thing I disliked about living overseas, has made this volleyball season perfect!!

Rusty had two weeks off, so we spent one week in Utah with my family and one week in Chicago with his! We flew into Salt Lake first. Needless to say, I was super excited to see everyone. It was my parent's year to host my sister Cassie's family who live in Arizona (some years they are with my brother-in-law's family) so we got to see them too! 

I love how I can return home after being gone for months, and we all just pick up right where we left off- as if I have just seen them the day before. I like to think it's because we hold each other in our hearts wherever we go, even if it's 5,000 miles away...and Facetime helps too! The only thing that surprised me was that my eleven-year-old brother is now taller than me! He's grown up so much. Even though it had only been four months since I had last seen him, I felt like he went from a kid who I would play with, to a friend who hangs out with me. Kids just grow up too fast ;)

Another thing that never ceases to amaze is Utah's beauty. I think it took moving away- to flat places- to truly appreciate Utah's mountains. When I moved there for school, I thought they were pretty, but I took the scenery for granted. Now, whenever I go back, I am in awe of their beauty, especially when they are snow covered and seem like they are right in my backyard.

Our time spent in Utah was great. It was filled with ice skating, trampolines, shopping, matching pajamas, good food, and more fun memories with the fam!
Unfortunately, however, the flu did make its rounds in the Whittaker household. Worst. timing. ever. Luckily, we were all healthy on Christmas day, so I was grateful for that. I got sick on my little brother's birthday and the day we had to fly to Chicago- that was the worst! But, try as it might, the flu wasn't able to hold us down! We were able to get over our sicknesses and enjoy hanging out with each other before heading to Chicago!

Life in Oulu

Rusty and I have gotten more settled here in Oulu. Our apartment is coming along, we have made new friends, I joined a gym, we got library cards, and we finished our visa paperwork...we're official residents of Finland! 

I haven't posted much about Finland, so here are some things we have been up to...

Exploring the City

Sometimes I feel like I need to pinch myself- Who gets to hang out and explore new places with their husband pretty much all day, everyday?! 

Oulu is pastel-land and I love it!

NFL Sundays

Rusty and his teammates, Josh, and Juho watch football most Sunday nights. I join them, but for me it's more "baking Sundays" than NFL Sundays haha- not that I'm very good at it, but I have been enjoying trying new dessert recipes!

Chocolate cake for Josh's b-day. It didn't turn out exactly as expected, but I'm just happy it turned out!

Salted Caramel Apple Crisp- was so good we made it again for Thanksgiving! 

Lunch 

The team has worked out a deal with a couple of restaurants- Rauhula and Tuba, so we are able to eat at either of them for free! The restaurants are owned by the same people, and they are right next to each other, which is super convenient for when we want to compare menus :) I like that both of them have buffets everyday- so we have a variety of options, and luckily, we really like Finnish food. I love their bread. They always have so many different kinds and they are all good!

Hockey Game

Hockey is big here in Finland- no surprise there :) I was excited about the hockey game for many reasons: 1. It was my first hockey game ever, 2. Oulu's team, Kaarpat, is a good team and recently won the National Championship,  3. It was free since the volleyball team gets tickets, and 4. (the most exciting reason) We got to dress up in costumes! The game was the day after Halloween, so it was a costume party theme. Rusty and I, a few kids, and the employees were the ones ones dressed up, but since my Halloween consisted of watching shows at home while Rusty was away at a volleyball game, I wasn't going to miss the chance to dress up. I hate to admit it (since I pride myself on putting together really great costumes) but this year, our costumes were not good haha. We threw them together last minute, so we did the easiest thing we could think of- we dressed in black, cut up one of Rusty's old shirts to make masks, and called ourselves robbers. As you can see, the masks were not very becoming haha. 

Thanksgiving in Finland

I figured before Christmas is in full swing (which, at our place, it already is), I should reflect on Thanksgiving. This year- like every year- has flown by, and through it all, it's easy to just go about my days, taking things for granted. While I don't mind other peoples' "#soblessed" posts, I'm not usually one to post things like that, but I couldn't let Thanksgiving pass by without counting my blessings.

This Thanksgiving was a great one. We were lucky enough to have Kirsten come visit for it! I was so excited just to have her in Finland, but that she was here to celebrate Thanksgiving with us, was just perfect. Not only was it fun having her here, but she was also so much help preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. We were busy in the kitchen all day making turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin chocolate chip cake with cream cheese frosting, and salted caramel apple crisp- for about 20 people. We hosted it at our apartment, which is European sized (aka small), so Kirsten helped me set up extra seating arrangements and cleaned up before and after dinner. If it weren't for Kris and Rusty, there's no way I could have done it all!

I am grateful for the friends we have made out here. I have to admit, Finns aren't as open and welcoming as Greeks or Americans. Mostly just because they are quiet, but the guys on Rusty's team are great, and have included us since we arrived. I am grateful that they came to our Thanksgiving dinner and they came bearing gifts- chocolates, bread, crackers, cheese, cookies, wine, and glogi, a Christmas drink. It was so nice of them! They really are such great guys! And of course the girls we have met here are great too! The other American on the team, Josh, is married, which I am so happy about! Josh and his wife, Tehane, came and had made delicious macaroni and cheese and vegetables. Another one of Rusty's teammate's brought his fiance, who I was excited to meet- I always love meeting new girl friends.

I am grateful for family. My family (the Whittaker's and the Lavaja's) are the best! Rusty and I get to go home to Utah and Chicago this Christmas, which makes me so happy, I could cry! And I'm not even exaggerating. Since October, when we got our tickets home, not a day has gone by without me thinking about how grateful/excited I am to see our family this Christmas! Many professional volleyball teams have games within a week of Christmas- some even within a couple days, so it is pointless to fly home, but Etta gets a three week break between games!! How lucky is that?! We didn't get to go home last year, which was hard for me, but it has given me such a greater appreciation of getting to be with family for Christmas!...Now that we get to go home, I don't know how I will handle not being able to in the future...I guess we will have to ask about the team's Christmas break before signing any contracts ;)

I am grateful for Rusty. He can be so mature and understanding and supportive, and yet silly and crazy and fun- he's like a giant kid! I have said this before about him and I know it's a little cheesy, but he seriously never ceases to amaze me. He has the biggest heart of anyone I know and he makes everyone around him feel comfortable- his cheerful personality really is contagious.

I am grateful for the opportunity I have to travel the world with Rusty. I feel like I'm on a permanent vacation. I am grateful to be here in Finland. I was nervous for the winter, but I am so happy we came because I have enjoyed every day so far.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Now it's full speed ahead to Christmas! Yay!

Kris' Masterpiece